The Teapot
by LuckyLadybug
Summary: Oneshot. Shinichi gets into a ridiculous situation just when he finally decides to actually marry Ran. ShinichiRan.


**Detective Conan**

**The Teapot**

**By LuckyLadybug**

**Notes: The characters aren't mine, and the story is! This is a gift fic for Candy Chan, using her prompt of Teapot, and I hope she likes! This takes place after the end of the series, and I find myself quite liking how it turned out. Though I am still concerned as to whether I've written these two IC or not. I've rarely written for either of them! Thank you to those who have reviewed and given advice!  
**

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There were many things that Ran could have expected to see upon returning to the Mouri living room, where she and Shinichi had been having lunch. She would have thought it much more likely to find him reading Holmes, or discovering a new case on television, or even having left to pursue such a case. Instead he was sitting on the couch, struggling desperately to remove the empty teapot that had somehow became affixed to his right hand. 

Ran stopped, simply staring at him and not knowing how she should react. It was unlike him to get into such absurd predicaments . . . or was it? Memories of Conan instantly flashed through her mind, and suddenly it did not seem all that far-fetched. Choking back the giggles of amusement that were rising in her throat, she took another step forward.

"Shinichi?" she said in a perfectly calm tone of voice. It was so hard not to laugh at the sight of the serious boy being so very determined to pry off the container, and having absolutely no luck at all.

Immediately her childhood friend gave a violent start, not having fully realized she had entered the room. He looked up, never removing his left hand from around the teapot's smooth surface as he struggled to slide the thing off of his wrist and hand. "Yeah?" he replied, equally calm.

"What are you doing?" Ran's voice took on an even lighter tone.

Shinichi glowered at the troublesome object, wondering why Ran was bothering to ask such an obvious question. It made him feel like more of an idiot than he already did. Though, he was certain that she was enjoying every minute of this. It was not every day, after all, that one ended up wearing a teapot---and especially not him.

"It's stuck!" he said finally, frustration overwhelming him. He had wanted to get it off before she came back, and then she would never have to know that it had happened in the first place. But that was not possible now.

Ran walked over to the hapless detective now, her smile widening as she took in the situation. "Hold still," she commanded.

Shinichi shot her a suspicious look. "What are you going to do?" he demanded, wondering if he wanted her help on this matter. "If I had some butter . . ."

"That doesn't always work," Ran replied, grabbing the offending arm and holding it out so that the teapot came to rest on the end table. "But I have a method that never fails."

Shinichi swallowed hard, continuing to scrutinize her. "And what would that be?" He wondered if his nervousness was so extremely apparent, but then knew that it must be, or Ran would not be as amused as she obviously was at the moment. And he knew she would never let him forget this incident.

Instead of speaking again, Ran raised her hand and then brought it down sharply. Shinichi only had enough time to open his mouth in an alarmed protest before Ran's karate chop cut through the air like a knife and then slammed into the teapot. He froze in shock as the vibrations from the blow immediately went into his body due to the contact he had with the object. He barely noticed as the teapot began to crack and fall away.

Ran straightened up, looking satisfied. "There," she said easily, brushing aside several pieces of the material from where it was decorating the other's clenched hand. "Now, how did that happen anyway?"

Shinichi shook himself out of his daze, remembering what had brought about this nonsense in the first place. He also remembered how unsure he had been of how to tell Ran about it, or even if he wanted to. Now he decided that the direct approach and the simple facts would be the best way.

"I accidentally dropped your engagement ring in the teapot," he said flatly.

Ran was already opening her mouth to retort when Shinichi spoke. This stunned her into silence. He had dropped _what?_ Was he trying to be funny? It was not a good joke at all. He knew that she had been hoping for a long time that they would get married, but he had never seemed to be ready, even after all this time. Ran had gotten upset with him on more than one occasion because of it.

While she continued to stand dumbly, trying to think of how to even respond, Shinichi snatched the opportunity to take hold of her hand. He slid a small band over her third finger before looking up at her seriously. "Ran, I want us to be married," he said, and he realized that whatever doubts he still held, his words were the truth. It was what he wanted most of all. "We've been through so much---our childhoods, the cases . . . Conan. . . . I think it's about time. Don't you?"

Ran snapped out of her trance at his words. Part of her wanted to punch him, yelling that it had been time ages ago. Another part could not believe this was actually real. Slowly she raised her hand, staring at the ring that Shinichi had placed there. It was beautiful, its diamonds sparkling under the overhead lights. She touched it with a finger of her other hand. It was real. Shinichi's words were real. And all frustration was swept away.

She looked to Shinichi, her eyes shining. "Is that a proposal?" she asked softly.

"That's exactly what it is," Shinichi retorted uncomfortably, shifting a bit. "Are you going to accept or not?"

In response she rushed forward, throwing her arms around his neck. Suddenly she felt very light. "Oh Shinichi," she said softly, shutting her eyes tightly in happiness, "of course I accept!" She had played out this moment many times in her mind, imagining the circumstances, his words, and her reply. None of this was like the romantic and sometimes sappy images she had been picturing, but as she quickly ran it all through her mind, she decided then and there that this reality was much better and more romantic than any of the scenarios she had envisioned.

Of course, Kogoro had to inadvertantly interrupt the moment. "Did I hear something break?" he yelled from down the hall.

Both Ran and Shinichi started, and Shinichi frowned in the direction of the door. Ran pulled back slightly, turning Shinichi's face toward her and looking into his eyes. "Just a teapot," she called back, before leaning in and lovingly and passionately kissing her new fiancé.

Slowly Shinichi put his arms around her waist, bringing her closer as he returned the kiss. "I hope that isn't a method you use a lot," he remarked quietly, a slight smirk of amusement coming over his features. "You'll ruin a lot of good teapots that way."

Ran smirked back. "Maybe," she answered mischievously, "you should try harder to not get stuck in any more of the teapots."

Shinichi grunted, and Ran could see that she had embarrassed him. Further amused, she leaned in to kiss him again.


End file.
